Saturday, July 30, 2011

I've received some parcels in the last few weeks that I just haven't had time to show you- I'm always so busy over here. With two rock bands, work, art making, social occasions, plus the physical fitness regimen, it's difficult to squeeze everything in!

First off- get a load of all the stamps on this box!! Wha...? Why??

*DC Universe Classics Wave 11 Steppenwolf

The stamps might've been all the seller had around due to me scoring this off eBay for $13.50, shipping included. He couldn't have made a dime off that transaction. I see sellers asking for a lot more for this unusual looking figure, but I'm unsure if they ever get it. There's variant of this B-list baddie fashioned after the Super Powers version I see out & about quite often, but I like this one with the stupid hat- different strokes for different folks. I've been eyeing him for awhile, and finally won him at a good price. Every time I say I'm not gonna buy any more DCUCs, I find another :D

AND......

*DC Comics Super Heroes Robin by ToyBiz

Another figure I've been on the lookout for at the right price. I am slowly working on my Boy Wonder figure collection and have a few with cloth capes now, including this guy. These look nearly identical to the famed 80's Super Powers collection by Kenner- ToyBiz reused some of the molds from this line. FUN! LOVE!

In other news, the workout program is going swimmingly- a few months ago I had switched from power-walking to running and added 100 sit ups to my usual workout- it's really made a difference. It's been 100+ degrees here in the Midwest for the last 3 weeks, but I have not stopped, hence my peeling down to 167 lbs- about what I weighed in college. When I began 11 months ago, I was pushing 200 lbs & not so healthy. A change in diet, regular & vigorous exercise, & abstaining from alcohol has really changed my life- my performance in all things has improved 200%! I have more energy & my senses are sharpened. I sleep better & less. When I run into people I know they can't believe it & say I look like a teenager again, and women have been taking a closer look ;D Tom Freak claims I've pulled a reverse-geek, a move he said was difficult. He's right- it was difficult & it's still challenging, but it's worth it. Never fear- I'm still as dorky as ever, just happier & healthier :D

Friday, July 29, 2011

I forgot to mention what (laughs) came in the mail the other day: this HUGEMarvel Select Hulk!! I'm unsure when the craving began exactly... I'm talking about the desire for some BIGGER action figures. I do remember panting over some larger Marvel Select figures on a couple toy bloggers YouTube channels this month, and the next thing I know I was on the hunt for this bad boy, a Marvel Select Thanos, and that killer Marvel Universe Frost Giant I scored on Tuesday. And when they release the Marvel Universe Sentinel in August, I'll likely be looking for it as well :D What can I say? I love toys!

I'm often underwhelmed with Hulk action figures- they usually disappoint with their size, hopelessly inadequate and out of scale with other figures in their respective lines. Case in point: the old Mego Hulk was the same height and only a little bulkier than the other Megos. The Hulk should be HUGE- much larger than all the other figures! And at a hefty 9 5/8" tall with a 12" armspan, this Hulk does not disappoint!

While my Famous Covers Hulk is nearly the same height, his girth is no match for the brawn of this Marvel Select. I purposely sought out the biggest, meanest looking Hulk I could find for under twenty five bucks (I scored this guy loose for $18.50, shipping included). As expected with a Marvel Select, the articulation is more limited than a Marvel Legends, but the sculpt & paint on this guy is outstanding. Hulk sports ball & hinge joints in his shoulders, elbows, hips, & knees. His wrists and waist have cut joints, while his ankles are hinged, and his head is on a ball joint that renders him quite expressive.

The torn material at the waist and calves of Hulk's pants are molded in a softer plastic that gives to the touch, preventing breakage. Every inch of this figure is covered in artful detail: bulging muscles & veins, and painterly brushwork make this Hulk look like a three-dimensional masterpiece... ferociously beautiful! He looks as though he walked right out of an artist's canvas...

Some of the reviews on Hulk's face were positive, some negative- personally, I love it. The paintwork around the mouth was expertly done, and his clenched teeth & furrowed brow really capture the fury & anger that embody The Hulk.

Hulk came with a great looking, if somewhat cheap & hollow, base that simulates a city street crushed under his mighty feet...

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

I finally picked up this MiniMates 2-pack yesterday, after having passed on it before. The characters were what interested me more than the fact they were MiniMates, though I must say that I've seen some pretty cool figures from this line- a lot of my fellow toy bloggers collect these, and so I've started taking a closer look at them when I'm out & about. These block-styled figures were developed by Art Asylum back in 2002. Originally 3" tall, they were redesigned as 2" for Marvel liscencing when they partnered with Diamond Select Toys several months later.

I can see the appeal in these diminuitive toys- they are not unlike Lego figures, though more articulated and individualized in their design. They're cute and fun :D This pair sports removeable helmets and includes hair for Tony Stark & Dmitri Bukharin, and an extra set of hands for Dmitri.

I couldn't believe the foldout included, showing all the Marvel MiniMates... I had no idea- Holy Cow!

But let's get down to brass tacks: I really bought these because of my love for BIG TOY/little toy :D Yes I knew they'd go well with the Comic Series Iron Man 2 Silver Centurion & Crimson Dynamo figures- that's how I like to have fun!

I love days off, and this one started out right with a good old fashioned toy hunt in the wild! I buy a lot of stuff on the internet, but there's nothing like finding a great haul out on the town :D

*Marvel Universe Savage Frost Giant & Loki
Awhile back before I got into Hasbro's Marvel Universe line, I had actually seen this set at a Wal-Mart on the other end of the county. Seeing it reviewed on Shartimus Prime's YouTube channel recently renewed my interest sharply, though I couldn't remember which of the three local Wal-Mart stores I had seen it, and figured it was likely a goner. Upon returning late this morning, I found the last one... I thought I'd died & gone to Toy Heaven... Wow!

*Marvel Universe Human Torch, Ghost Rider, & Spider-Woman
There were a lot of great single Marvel Universe at the same Wal-Mart I found Frost Giant at, too- including these three. This same Wal-Mart is where I found Thanos awhile back, and I usually have good luck there. There were several more I wanted, but I was running over budget so I took these & ran...

*Marvel Universe Ronin & Hand Ninja

Before finding Frost Giant, I hit a couple Toys 'R Us stores in South County and found these two awesome Marvel Universe figures- what a pair! Like Frost Giant, there were only one of each of these as well. I can imagine the epic battle photos these two will be starring in :D

At the same Toys 'R Us, I found the last set of these two. I had passed on these before, but seeing them on JBoy's blog made me regret that and I vowed that if I saw them again I would buy them. My first MiniMates... I'm unsure if I'd buy these at the regular price, but these were marked down to south of five bucks. They'll make a great BIG TOY/little toy photo session with my Iron Man 2 Silver Centurion & Crimson Dynamo :D

After all this greatness I hit the new Captain America movie in 3-D with my nephew Harry, which was totally awesome!! We had been planning on this for some time, and I must say that we both loved it :D

Did all the fun stop there? Oh no, my Friends- for upon my return to the domicile I found this box waiting for me... Wanna guess what was inside??

*DC Universe 6" Young Justice Robin & Artemis
Inside the box were these awesome toys I ordered from Mike's Comic's a couple weeks ago! Hooray!! Mike is having A Super-Duper ToyBox Special over at the Mike's Comics & Stuff website! Enter "superduper" at the check-out and get 10% off your order! Mike gives great service and has some killer stuff! So stoked about these two! I've been working hard, and this was a Super-Duper way to end a fun day!

Monday, July 25, 2011

Jason asked for a look at this a week ago, before I did all the posts on Marvel Universe Spider-Men. I've been generally underwhelmed at the severely overstocked supplies of Spider-Man Series action figures by Hasbro crowding the toy aisles, with the exception of the Power Charge Rhino. I passed on two of these at another area Target three weeks ago, though I've come to believe he's somewhat difficult to come by.

His heft is what attracted me- if I can get one of the larger characters within any 3 3/4" line, I will- makes me feel as though I'm (laughs) getting a better value :D Upon opening this figure, I reallized that some portions of the armor are removeable, secured in place by clear rubberbands within the packaging. When I removed all the rubberbands, the extra knee, forearm, and spike shoulder armor had a tendency to fall off. While this design flaw is annoying, Rhino looks fine without it...

I really liked the texture and distressed paint applications on Rhinos hooves-he has a great sculpt! It's too bad about the skin tone on his face, otherwise he'd be exceptional. But hey- he's an eight dollar action figure for some kid to throw around in the sandbox! He has some decent/functional articulation- while Rhino's legs are limited to a swivel-hinge joint at the hips, he does sport elbow joints, swiveling biceps, and swivel-hinge joints at the shoulders. Additionally, Rhino's head has a swivel-hinge joint, making him quite expressive.

The package included a trio of "battle cards" enabling the collector to measure up powers against other characters/figures in the series. This didn't interest me, but your eight year old can take his pals to task when challenged about exactly who can kick Rhino's ass.

From Wikipedia:Aleksei Sytsevich was a nameless thug for hire working for an Eastern Bloc country. He volunteered to participate in an experiment that bonded a super strong polymer to his skin, thus augmenting his strength and speed, resulting in the Rhino alias. The Rhino returned in Hulk, vol. 2, #104 (June 1968) and although he died at the end of the story, the character proved popular enough to be revived, becoming a perennial opponent for both Spider-Man and the Hulk.